A Picture Paints A Thousand Words
by forever-fallen-kalisan
Summary: Our detectives find a girl with an amazing talent for drawing, and getting herself hurt. R&R please!
1. Small and scared in a big, cruel, world

Law and order SVU..no it doesn't belong to me and never will until my plans for world domination come through..and they won't. (damn...)  
  
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Her pupils were enlarged in the distilled light of the old lamp. Her scarred arms moved over the page in her notebook in quick, easy strokes. In her delicate hand she held a pencil which glided over the paper, creating a masterpiece. A tiny smile graced her face but soon disappeared with the slam of a door.  
  
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Elliot yawned hugely. "Not much sleep last night?" Olivia, sitting opposite to him grinned.  
  
"I guess sleeping is quite impossible with two 11 year olds bouncing up and down on the bed." He replied.  
  
Olivia laughed. Elliot had been separated for just over two weeks now after numerous disagreements with his wife. There weren't any hard feelings on the matter, it seemed she just hadn't planned to be a stay at home mom the rest of her life.  
  
"Dickie and Lizzie are full of energy as usual?"  
  
"Yep, full of energy but keeping me up all night. Lucky for me Maureen came in and took them away."  
  
"You can't blame them though Elliot, they don't get to see you very often."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Kathleen came into the squadroom at that moment, saw her father and ran over to hug him viciously.  
  
"Hey, why the sudden change in character, Kat?" Elliot asked, blue eyes glinting with mischief. (The two had just had a spat in the morning about who got an extra egg, courtesy of Maureen.)  
  
"Gee, can you stop being so childish?" She demanded, "I've got a friend here and you're prob'ly going to scare her."  
  
Elliot surveyed the young girl come into the room. By what she wore he could see she was obviously the shy type. A grey jumper at least two sizes too big covered her scrawny body and hung down to her knees. Her legs shook inside the worn pair of cargo pants as she looked at each person in the room. Also, this girl was the smallest in the room and only stood at about five feet and three inches. This fact was obvious to her and her bright green eyes were wide with fear.  
  
"Hey there, I'm Elliot, Kat's dad. What's your name?" She looked up slowly to meet Elliot's gaze then practically jumped out of her skin.  
  
"Ummm...I'm K, K, Kali..." she stammered not meeting his eyes. As she said this her jumper sleeve rode up slightly to reveal bad cuts and bruises on her arm. Though Elliot noted this fact he kept it to himself, not wanting to scare her anymore than he already had.  
  
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Okay, if anyone who reads this remembers how old Kathleen is I'd really like to know..R&R please!!!! 


	2. Bag Full Of Books

Ok, two reviewers gave me two different ages for Kathleen, so I've come to a compromise, Kathleen is now sixteen, k? ------------------------  
  
"What's wrong with you?" Kat asked Kali, "You looked like the only thing you were thinkin' 'bout was getting the hell away from my dad. I know he can seem imposing, but he isn't really that scary..."  
  
"I know Kat, and I'm sorry if I offended you or your father...I just thought he looked...freakishly familiar.."  
  
"Yeah, sure. S'ok, I know dad, he works with frightened kids on a regular basis"  
  
The duo were currently sitting in the nearby restaurant eating spaghetti and salad. Steam wafted off of the warm meal and began to work at fogging up Kali's glasses. Kali though, was much too busy to notice.  
  
"Hmmm...what are you doing, Kal?" The girl in question was leaning over a black, spiral bound book, her arms quick at work. Leaning closer Kat could see the beautiful recreation she was working on. A paper clip held a photo to the top of her page as she re-sketched it almost perfectly to detail underneath.  
  
"Wow." Other than that she was speechless. Kat had only just met Kali yesterday and had been wondering why she carried a bag full of those books around.  
  
"What's with that photo?" on closer inspection she saw the photo was of a man on a busy Manhattan street, talking on a phone. "Do you even know that person?"  
  
"No, not really."  
  
"Then why bother drawing him?"  
  
"Good practice."  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
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	3. Kids And Their Problems

Thanks for the reviews, keep em coming, I need all the help I can get.  
  
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Elliot lay on his bed watching the ceiling. Another case, another sleepless night. There was a knock at the door. "Dad? You awake?" Maureen asked. She walked in, not waiting for his answer, she knew it was a stupid question to ask. Elliot turned his head to the clock, 10pm-he'd managed to get home early today.  
  
"Yeah, what's up?" He sat up, Maureen sat down on the side of the bed.  
  
"I think you should talk to Dickie...there's been a couple of problems today..."  
  
"At school?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You want me to talk to him right now?"  
  
"He's not asleep, I already checked on him...but I know he's not going to school tomorrow."  
  
"What's this about, Maureen?"  
  
"He got a beating from the older kids, or more technically, he was standing with his back towards a the sports rack and a baseball bat just happened to fall and hit him on the back of the neck with a large amount of force. That's what they told the principal...and got away with. What's worse is, he won't tell me why they did it."  
  
Elliot got up, and promptly made his way to his son's room.  
  
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"Kids bouncing on your bed got you tired again?" Munch asked the next day at the precinct. The dark rings under Elliot's eyes had deepened and he yawned more constantly.  
  
"No, just something else on my mind."  
  
"Say...are you dating already, man?" Fin remarked, stirring his coffee, with raised brows.  
  
"Huh? Nah, nothing like that." Elliot thought back to last night, taking the bandages from Dickie's neck to be greeted with a scene of cuts from splintered wood and purple bruising. He remembered his mumbled words-"It's okay, dad, I'm strong, just like you." Sounded a lot like what he said to his mother after receiving a beating from his father. Unusually, Olivia came in late that morning, and she, following suit with Elliot, looked extremely tired. She went to her desk and instantly noticed Elliot's faraway look.  
  
"Are the kids okay? You seem worried, Elliot." She questioned him, to his amusement, almost sounding motherly.  
  
"Olivia..." he shared all of his problems with her, including what he had seen on Kali's arms the previous day.  
  
"Elliot...I don't know what to say...but if Kali and Dickie are getting hurt by people, then you should definitely find out who."  
  
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	4. True Or False?

I'm sorry for the lack of update people, but bear with me, I'm a slacker. Once again R&R thanks!  
  
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Kali walked inside the dim lit house and took a couple of deep breaths to prepare herself. She had stayed with Kat until quite late, talking over school, guys and her drawings.  
  
"You're home awfully late." His voice was icy as he stood on the staircase. Kali sighed.  
  
"Please don't tell him, please..." Her thirteen year old brother cut her off with a punch on her badly bruised shoulder.  
  
"Shut up, bitch, don't try tell me what to do!" Kali sobbed and held her arm as he backed off.  
  
"Don't worry, I won't tell, if he hits you anymore, people are going to start to notice."  
  
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Lunch break, crunch time for Dickie. Daniel Sommers would be on his back again, he just knew it.  
  
"Hey, kid, it's 'Dickie' Stabler, right?" Daniel was leaning against a post in the court yard glaring down at him.  
  
"Y, yeah.."  
  
"Listen buddy," He picked him up by the collar of his shirt, forcing him to stand. "Tell that bitch sister of yours to stay the hell away from mine, or there's going to be trouble, okay?"  
  
"Sure...but Kat's real stubborn..I don't know if she will..."  
  
"Just do it." His brown locks flew in the strong wind, adding to his merciless gaze. Dickie sat down on the bench and nodded.  
  
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"No complaining witness, no case Elliot. In how many cases have I got to tell you that?" Cragen said, annoyed the detective had even brought up the subject.  
  
A phone rang outside the office.  
  
"And in how many have we actually made a case and convicted someone?" Elliot shot back. Just as the two were about to break out in an argument, Fin walked through the door.  
  
"Hey, Elliot, the name Kali Sommers mean anything to you?" Fin asked, notepad in hand.  
  
"Kat's friend..." He began  
  
"Well if it does, it's your lucky day. Neighbours heard a brawl, called in a complaint to the police, they thought it was some kind of abuse."  
  
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SOMMERS' RESIDENCE  
  
"Hey detectives," A uniform walked up to the foursome. "Sorry to waste your time, seems it was all a misunderstanding..."  
  
"Yeah, sure, but I think we'll be the judges of that," Elliot replied. "Thanks anyway."  
  
"We'll check the neighbours." John said, and promptly walked across the lawn to the next house with Fin.  
  
As Elliot and Olivia walked up the drive towards the Sommer's household, a calm looking man came out of the building and struck up a conversation with a nearby officer.  
  
"Excuse me officer, but if this is a misunderstanding, I really don't see the point in you still being here." The man sounded sincere and polite, but his face seemed quite agitated.  
  
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience sir, but the detectives need some questions answered, so please co operate for now." The uniform turned to see the detectives. "Detectives, please come this way."  
  
Elliot and Olivia followed him inside to what appeared to be the lounge room. A young man about twelve or thirteen sat on one couch, Kali occupied another. When Kali recognized Elliot walking through the door it was very much like they had first met, and she gasped in surprise, jumping up from her seat. The two detectives sat one either side of Kali and began their usual run through of questions.  
  
"So, Kali, could you tell us what happened here?" Olivia asked. Kali took in a breath and was about to answer when her brother cut her off.  
  
"Nothing, detective, honest...except for us almost shitting ourselves when we heard the police at our door while we were cleaning up after dinner."  
  
"Kali, is that what happened?" Elliot asked.  
  
"Yeah, Daniel's telling the truth."  
  
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Elliot didn't know if Kali was covering up or not. She said it with such certainty and looked into his eyes when she did. She didn't hesitate as if making her mind up one what to say or look up to remember what she was told to say. Though, Elliot definitely doubted the innocence of her father.  
  
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	5. A Whole Lotta Crap Uncovered

I shall lengthen the chapters from now on, though please allow time to update! ---------------------------  
  
Kali's drawing books were organised in her shelves as usual, when she walked into her room, but did not stay that way when she tripped over her pencil tin, colliding with the bookcase. Slowly she sat up, picking up each of the pencils and placing them carefully into their separate slots. As she did this Kali saw that one of her many drawing books had been knocked out of its place. Lying on the floor, the book open, she saw one of the many random people she'd photographed re-drawn in detail. Instead of placing the book back on the shelf she flipped through it to find the same person: feet up on a desk, grinning, facing to the sky and with a coffee cup in hand. She sighed, and closed the book.  
  
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The next day Elliot sat back in his chair, thinking.  
  
"So, what happened with this Kali girl?" Huang asked, noticing Elliot's frustrated face.  
  
"She denied three times then their rooster crowed." Munch said from his desk, a light-hearted smile playing over his face.  
  
"I don't understand why both of them are refusing to admit it." Elliot was exasperated.  
  
"Did you ever think the wounds were self inflicted?" The psychiatrist suggested.  
  
"Well, that's meant to be your area of work, Doc."  
  
"Hmm..Can't you bring her and her brother in, just for a sit down? I mean it seems reasonable if the father has been accused of abuse. We also have a young family next door to back up that statement."  
  
"I'll get on it." Elliot said, slightly happier, heading towards Captain Cragen's office.  
  
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Later that morning, a young man sat in the interrogation room, opposite to John and Fin.  
  
"So, what exactly am I doing here?" Daniel asked, fiddling with his backpack. "I'm meant to be going to a movie with my friends, you know."  
  
"Well thanks for giving up your day to answer some of our questions." Munch said with a smile. Fin kept his usual imposing figure and as John had learned he never really liked dealing with 'pubescent punks'.  
  
"Now, Daniel, your neighbours told us there was quite riot at your residence last night." John started. "what can you tell us about that?"  
  
Daniel pulled a smug look. "The Grangers? The adults are paranoid and their kids are retarded. They haven't even met us. They've only been living there the past two weeks."  
  
"Look kid, did something happen or not?" Fin drew in close.  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you, nothing happened!" Daniel shouted, slamming a fist on the table.  
  
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Kali, in booth number two, was sorting her drawing books, waiting for the detectives to come in. Elliot and Olivia entered the room, bearing a can of soda and friendly faces.  
  
"Hi Kali, how are you feeling?" Olivia asked.  
  
"I'm fine." Kali replied placing her books in a knapsack on the floor.  
  
"You doing okay in school?" Elliot gave her the soda. "Here."  
  
"Thankyou. Ummm...I...I'm doing al...alright." she stuttered quietly, facing the table.  
  
"Do you have a favourite subject? Kat told us you like to draw." Olivia started. "And that you're really good at it too." Very slowly Kali sipped her drink. As she did this the loose sleeves on her jumper rode up a little more then what Elliot had first seen. He and Olivia traded glances. She asked the question. "What are those marks on your arms?" she said softly, but firmly.  
  
"Th, they're n, n, nothing..." Kali only whispered and was barely audible. Elliot got up and slowly walked to the other side of the table.  
  
"May I?" he inquired, touching the end of her sleeve. She nodded, giving in. As Elliot lifted the sleeve they were greeted by the horrific site of black-purple bruising all the way up her arm as well as various cuts and scratches. The meagre bandage that covered the latest of these cuts, was soaked with old blood and covered up a deep penetration to her upper arm. Kali sat there and covered her face with her hands, she neither cried or even sobbed. No tears ran down her face. She sat there, broken.  
  
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Olivia just sat down, clearly horrified of what she and Elliot had seen. They had just arrived back from taking Kali to a doctor, where she would have the wounds photographed then treated.  
  
"All of that, just on her arm, one of the most visible spots..just imagine the kind of damage that bastard did to the rest of her..." Olivia whispered, shaken. Elliot gave her a coffee cup and sat back at his desk staring at the photo of him and his kids, thankful they would never receive that kind of abuse. At least, never from him. He thought of Dickie and sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry guys but we really don't have quite enough on your Kain Sommers to arrest him." Novak strode into the squadroom. "You see, considering the fact she's seems to have severe depression and that she hasn't made any complaint." The whole teams' faces were grim. "But...bury him in his own shit and we'll bring him in on being a public nuisance."  
  
"Time to get dirty." Munch stated. "Did I ever mention I wanted scented soaps for my next Hanukah?"  
  
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Okay, time to review now. Remember it's a race, the winner is the one who reviews last! 


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